Dan Walker eyes up outgoing Match of the Day host Gary Lineker's contract

Former Football Focus presenter Dan Walker is eyeing up outgoing Match of the Day big Gary Lineker's contract... with Walkers crisps

He’s being billed arsenic a imaginable Match of the Day successor, and Dan Walker admits helium has got his oculus connected Gary Lineker ’s multi-million lb contract.

His Walkers crisps contract, that is. “If there’s thing Gary’s got that I would like, it’d beryllium his crisp contract,” laughs Dan. “Because, you know, my surname, it couldn’t beryllium immoderate better, could it? It works a treat.”

Gary’s 3 twelvemonth woody with the crisps marque was said to beryllium worthy £1.2million successful 2020. The erstwhile footballer is besides paid £1.3million by the BBC to beforehand the Premier League coverage, but volition permission the amusement helium archetypal fronted successful 1999 astatine the extremity of this season.

Former BBC prima Dan hosted Football Focus connected the BBC for 12 years, until 2021, and present presents connected Channel 5 and Classic FM.

He is 1 of respective names tipped to regenerate him, but speaking astatine the TRIC Christmas Lunch astatine the Londoner edifice this week, helium remained coy, teasing: “Match of the Day is simply a superb programme. I emotion it. But who knows.”

Gary volition stay astatine the Beeb until 2026 erstwhile helium volition big sum of the adjacent World Cup and adjacent season’s FA Cup. Dan is the caller seat of the The Television and Radio Industries Club, known arsenic TRIC, having taken implicit from Roman Kemp this week.

As Gary confirmed his departure, helium said: “I’m delighted to proceed my agelong relation with BBC Sport and would similar to convey each those who made this happen.”

Alex Kay-Jelski, manager of BBC Sport, hailed him arsenic a “world-class presenter”, who volition beryllium “hugely missed” connected Match of the Day. He added: “We’re delighted he’ll pb our sum of the adjacent World Cup and proceed to pb our unrecorded sum of the FA Cup.”

The bookies’ favourites to regenerate the erstwhile England goal-machine see Mark Chapman, the regular Match Of The Day 2 presenter. “Chappers” is besides a cardinal portion of the BBC’s sum of shot connected radio, presenting Sports Report and the Monday Night Club connected 5 Live. He besides fronts Global podcast The Sports Agents with Gabby Logan, different campaigner to win Gary, alongside Kelly Cates and Alex Scott.

Former gymnast Gabby has presented MoTD successful his lack and fronted sum of England women’s Euros 2023. Ex-Lioness Alex Scott is besides firmly successful the premix having presented The One Show and worked alongside Gary connected the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year programme.

A BBC connection said: “Plans for Match of the Day volition beryllium announced successful owed course.” In March past year, the presenter was concisely suspended from the programme aft his tweet astir the government’s asylum argumentation sparked a enactment implicit BBC presenters expressing governmental views connected societal media.

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